“Just today they killed one of our enforcers! We cannot let that go unpunished,” a man chimed in.
Consul Beaumont held his hands up to the Consul. “We have not even attempted diplomatic relations. How can we make such lasting decisions without being fully informed? We need every bit of information to fully understand the situation.”
The sound was muted on the other end of the line, and Verity and Julian watched as the Consul debated until finally, Consul Beaumont turned to them, and his voice came through the tablet once again. “We will extend our promise that the Genus Society will not retaliate toward you so long as you do not interfere in our affairs. You may live in peace, and we will protect you as warranted from any threat that may arise. The current situation with your family is precarious and uncertain, but we will not seek war so long as diplomacy is possible. In return, you must readily give all information you are questioned about. We also expect you to abide by our laws and to never, ever feed on any mundane or shifter, or our assurances will become null and void.”
It didn’t sound like a bad offer to her. She met her brother’s eyes, and he gave a single nod. Verity exhaled in relief. “We agree to your terms.”
“Very good,” Consul Beaumont responded with a tense grin. “On to our questions. How many vampires are there?”
The question made her nervous. She wanted to believe the Genus Society wasn’t interested in exterminating her kind, but she also wanted them to understand vampires weren’t a threat. Not based off the size of the delegation of shifters representing the worldwide population.
Verity breathed out as she answered, “I cannot be exact, but I would guess in the neighborhood of twenty. No more than thirty, I’d say.”
Consul Beaumont bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Twenty thousand is more than we feared. Are your kind on every continent?”
She shook her head. “No. I literally mean twenty. As far as I know, at least. Lycos never told us about any others.”
The Grand Consul sputtered in surprise. Consul Beaumont focused on the camera with clear confusion. “Are you telling me there’s only twenty or thirty blood-suckers in the world?”
“Yes.” She looked at Julian and whispered, “I hope we’re doing the right thing.”
He patted her hand and answered quietly so the Consul wouldn’t hear. “We don’t owe Lycos our loyalty after his cruelty.”
She knew he was right, but sitting there telling the shifters the secrets her father had wanted to keep from the world pulled at her conscience. Verity hadn’t expected she’d care when it came down to it.
“Where did your kind come from?” Consul Beaumont questioned.
She stared out the windows at the cloudy skies. “I don’t know. Lycos sired my brothers, sister and I, and our siblings have brought more of our kind into the existence.”
“What about you?”
Verity’s eyes pinched shut, thinking about Ramsay creeping into her room at night, trying to lie in bed with her. She swallowed hard and tried to push the memory from her mind.
Julian put his arm around her. “Neither of us have brought any children into this world.”
Consul Beaumont shuffled the papers he was holding before asking, “How does that come about? Do you reproduce naturally or does one must get bit and contaminated by your venom?”
Verity’s knowledge on the subject was based off what she’d witnessed or been told by her father. “A male vampire can impregnate a human female, which can result in another vampire. Two vampires will most surely conceive a vampire, though in both cases you must wait until the offspring grows into adolescence before the change takes over their body when they no longer get sustenance from food and require the life force contained in blood to exist.”
“Interesting, very interesting.” A cacophony of voices chimed together in discussion.
She knew all of this was the first time they’d heard any of this, but she felt there were more important things to discuss. Verity waited for a lull in the noise to raise her voice. “I don’t know if you were told, but my young nephew was taken by my brother, Dolan. We must get him back—he’s an innocent.”
“Sanctioning any action at this point without considering the repercussions would be unwise,” one voice shouted.
Another responded too quickly, “If they only number twenty, what’s the risk to us?”
“Why bother? I say we stay out of it. It’s not our concern. If we leave them alone, they’ll just go away.”
Consul Beaumont gestured again for the representatives to quiet down. “There are many things to consider, like the safety of the youngling.”
“He’s not a youngling!”
It felt like Verity has swallowed a stone that was sinking its way down to her belly. A heavy dread consumed her, and for the first time since she’d discovered Riley had been taken from her, she wondered if she’d ever see him again.
Fourteen
Deane looked at Verity and Julian as they came onto the front porch. “Well?”
They exchanged a glance, and Julian shrugged. “They had a lot of questions.”
Verity nodded emptily. Deane’s thoughts went to Riley. He clearly wasn’t the only one who was consumed with worry.
Julian’s attention was drawn to the entrance of TailGators, where a Society member’s pickup truck had been parked dangerously close to his alligator sculpture. He jogged down the steps and started across the lawn to the gravel drive. “Excuse me—can you move your truck back?”
Now that they were alone, Deane patted the stair beside him. Verity sat down and leaned her elbows on her knees. “It’s not good. They’re arguing about everything.”
Deane turned his gaze on her. “What do you mean?”
“It may take them days to decide what to do about Riley, and even then, we may not get the decision we want.” Her blue eyes blinked back at him. “We can’t leave him with Lycos. I won’t do that to him.”
Deane’s chest tightened. It was just as he feared. He looked down to see he’d clenched his fists. Anger and frustration rushed through him. He hated waiting on the sidelines when someone he cared about was in danger. He was tired of being an obedient bulldog, used for other, more powerful people’s agendas. He hadn’t protected his wife and unborn baby when it counted most—he’d put other priorities first. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
“Where’s the fight?”
Deane raised his chin, surprised by the comment. Leaning against the base rail post was Emery. Her arms were crossed, and her brow was cocked. “You heard me. What are you going to do?”
He stared at his partner and leaned forward, having made his decision. “I’m getting him back.”
Emery shook her fists in the air and rolled her eyes to the sky. “Yes! Finally! Time to throw caution to the wind and fight!”
Deane shook his head. “No, ye’re not coming. Alaric gave me very specific instructions to stay put and wait for the Grand Consul’s decision. I’d be going against orders. I can’t have ye getting into trouble, too. Not when ye’re so close to becoming a full-fledged enforcer. I know ye don’t want to be a rookie forever.”
“To hell I’m not going. That’s my choice to make.” Emery straightened up and glared at Deane. “I care about that twerp just like you.”
“Do ye really understand what it could mean, going with me?” he questioned. “It could risk yer future with the Society.”
Her expression grew serious. Her red lips pursed together before she answered with fire in her eyes, “If I’ve learned anything from you, it’s to follow my gut and heart. And it would be wrong to leave that kid with those vamps.”
Deane was filled with pride as he inhaled the fresh sea air. His partner had been by his side for two years, and through that time he’d questioned her impulsiveness, hot temper and rebellious nature. She was young and still had a lot to learn, but Emery had surprised him with her loyalty and heart.
“Fine, ye can come,” Deane gru
mbled. He supposed it was easier to let her join him than argue with such a stubborn person about the risks involved.
“Should we invite Georgina along?” Emery asked. “She lost her partner to them, after all.”
He knew what she was suggesting. There might have been a good chance the grieving enforcer would want retribution, but given the current situation, he needed people around him he could trust to not act out of vengeance, especially if they were going without the Grand Consul’s approval. Deane wasn’t disillusioned. He knew it would likely require a certain amount of force to free Riley, but it would also take planning, forethought and a clear mind.
“I’m going with you.”
He turned to look at Verity sitting beside him.
Her forehead wrinkled as her brow lowered into a frown. “Except I won’t let it come to a fight. There may be another way.”
Deane noticed Emery roll her eyes, which he ignored. He glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone else was near enough to hear their conversation. Marisol had arrived ten minutes earlier and was with Georgina and Cruz inside the house in the entryway. They must have given her the news about Riley’s abduction because she was crying and being held tightly by Georgina.
Deane turned to Verity and muttered, “It isn’t safe. Doesn’t Lycos want you back home? What about that?”
She placed her hand on his arm and looked intently into his eyes. “I know everything you need to know about my father’s compound. I’m going whether you take me or if I go on my own. Riley needs me.”
Deane gazed across the parking lot at Julian, who was talking with a member of the Society. “What about yer brother?”
“I’m not telling him, and neither are you. It’s safer for him if he stays. He’ll want to come if he knows I’m going, and I can’t let anything happen to him.” Verity got to her feet and swayed in place.
Deane was quick to stand and grabbed hold of her arm and waist. The lump on her temple had gone down with the ice Julian had applied to it, but it was still inflamed. He didn’t like the thought of her putting herself in danger. She’d lived a long life and was clearly self-reliant, but she hadn’t been able to protect herself when it counted. The memory of her lying unconscious on the driveway came to mind, and the muscles in his neck and chest tensed. Deane’s fingers flexed.
Verity caught his eye. “Don’t try to stop me.”
Her tenacity and defiance were written all over her face. He knew it wasn’t his place to prevent her from finding her nephew. Riley was her blood. Her kin.
“I wouldn’t dare.” The smell of her so close to him awakened his dormant desire. Weakened, he imagined what her lips might taste like, and like a dream, a vision came to him. A blurry fantasy of kissing her by the sea, his protective barrier lowered for just that moment.
Nearby, someone cleared their throat, and Deane’s reverie scattered, drawing him back to the present. Verity backed away from him into the stair railing. He looked at Emery with her brow cocked precariously high at him. His partner’s lip curled into a suggestive grin, which he was eager to escape from. Deane rushed up the steps and said over his shoulder, “There’s no time to waste. I better talk to Cruz and let him know we’re taking off.”
“What about Alaric?” Emery called from the front walk.
Deane paused in the doorway, resting his hand on the frame and looked back. “The less he knows, the better. Askin’ for forgiveness is better than permission.”
He avoided glancing at Verity again, preferring to forget his moment of weakness. From inside the entry, he spotted Georgina sitting beside Marisol and holding her hand in the veterinary clinic’s waiting room. The house had been cleaned and put back to normal, excepting the missing rug and chair that left an empty space in the corner where they’d found Beck’s body.
Cruz was just getting off a call and pocketing his phone when Deane came in. He moved aside as Verity walked past and went upstairs without stopping.
The Miami leader sighed and leaned against the banister. “Sounds like our vampire friends have provided useful information to the Grand Consul as agreed. Not that they’re any closer to deciding what to do now.” Cruz glanced upstairs, where Verity had moved out of sight. “How’s she doing?”
Deane shrugged. “She should recover from her injuries, but…”
“Riley?” Cruz asked with a frown.
Deane said nothing in response. He only nodded and rubbed his jaw. Just thinking about the lad gave him a stomachache. He cleared his throat and gestured behind him. “So, I think we’re gonna take off. We appreciate yer hospitality, but with everything today, we can’t stay any longer.”
Cruz’s dark eyes lingered on his face before he answered, “I see.”
“Verity is coming with us.” Deane stared at the ceiling. “Julian will be around if the Grand Consul needs more questions answered. Wouldn’t want any trouble for them.”
“Does Alaric know you’re going after him?” Cruz’s eyes narrowed.
That was simply not a question Deane felt he could answer. He cleared his throat again. “We were going to run by the lodge and grab our things real quick on our way out.”
Cruz tilted his head to the side and rubbed his clean-shaven beard stubble. He glanced at the women in the waiting room before leading Deane outside onto the porch. “You’ll have to be careful. There will be no protecting you if things get messy.”
“Messy isn’t my style.” Deane peered past Cruz at the driveway, where Emery had pulled their rental car up to the front walk. “Listen, it isn’t my way just leaving folks without a proper goodbye or a thank ye.”
Cruz slipped his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “I’ll relay the message. They’ll understand. To be honest, I’m surprised you didn’t leave an hour ago and just say ‘to hell with it,’ but I respect the challenging position you must be in.”
Verity breezed out of the house with a travel bag over her shoulder. She paused beside them, glancing toward TailGators where her brother had retreated, and she whispered to Cruz, “You must hate my kind after today, but if it wouldn’t be too much to ask, could you please watch over him? He’s my baby brother, and he has no place in this craziness.”
“He’ll be safe,” Cruz answered without looking at her.
Verity’s cheek quivered. “Thank you.”
She hurried down the porch steps to the awaiting car and jumped into the back seat.
“You seem to trust these two an awful lot,” Cruz said matter-of-factly.
Deane folded his arms across his chest. “They haven’t given me any reason not to.”
“I hope she won’t be your downfall. Many tragedies have started with the appearance of a beautiful woman.” Cruz’s face darkened in concern.
“True.” Deane shrugged. “But she wants Riley back just as much as I do.”
Cruz shook his hand. “I will say a prayer for you, my friend. You are welcome at my lodge anytime, tigre loco.”
“Thank ye.” Deane hurried across the front path to the rental car and jumped into the passenger seat. He was glad he’d made a friend, because he was pretty sure he was about to make more than a few enemies.
Deane was confident Dolan would drive Riley the full distance to California to avoid drawing any undue attention to himself on a commercial flight. And since Deane had Gertrude to thank for snapping up his wallet and damaging most of his plastic, he didn’t have an ID or a way onto a plane. So they had a long road trip ahead of them.
They’d just reached the outskirts of Tallahassee when they needed to stop for gas. Emery pulled up to the pump and got out. Deane glanced over his shoulder at Verity, who was resting in the back seat. Although she’d kept quiet, it hadn’t escaped his notice that she’d cried herself to sleep. He wondered if she’d ever left her brother before, or what it had really meant that she was returning to the father she’d given up for her freedom. Riley clearly meant a lot to her.
Deane got out of the passenger seat and closed the door quietly to a
void waking the sleeping vampire. He pulled a squeegee out of a bucket of murky water and started cleaning the windows.
“You want to trade off?” he offered to Emery. “I can drive now if ye’re needing a break.”
She leaned against the side of the car and blinked up at the cloudy sky. “Eh, I’m fine for now. How about the next stop?”
“Whatever ye want.”
Emery smirked and straightened up. She adjusted her bandana and said, “I’ve trained you well.”
Deane scoffed. “Yer the rookie, not the mentor.”
She rolled her eyes. “Mmmhmm.”
He finished washing the front windshield and went to do the back when he noticed Emery staring across the lot at two men standing near the back corner of the gas station. Without warning, she bolted toward them. Reactively, Deane took off after her. If his partner had seen something, he would have her back without question. With Emery, anything was possible. He hoped it didn’t have anything to do with a one-night stand who stole her favorite T-shirt.
The men didn’t realize they were nearly upon them until it was too late. Emery ran up to the man with long dishwater blond hair. Panting, she thrust her finger in his face. “I know you.”
Deane exhaled sharply and shook his head in bewilderment. The last thing he wanted was to get pulled into her twisted love life. He was surprised she’d go for the well-dressed surfer type, but he’d been wrong about her many times before.
The man didn’t move. His blue eyes blinked back at her as if he’d expected her approach. He tilted his chin to his chest and muttered, “Greetings.”
“What the hell do you mean, greetings?” Emery threw her hands in the air. “Explain yourself.”
Deane wondered if he should have come along for this. The aroma of mint filled his nostrils, which was made very apparent by the overfilled trashcan beside them.
The man gazed back at Emery and addressed her politely. “Is it not how you welcome someone into your presence? I wish to do so appropriately. I regret offending you.”
Emery shot a wide-eyed stare at Deane before shaking her head and scowling, “Stop it. I know you’ve been following us. I saw you at the Rusty Tack and at the cabin in the mountains weeks ago. You killed Quinn that night and saved my ass. Who are you?”
Half-Blood Secrets: A Paranormal Series (Half-Bloods Book 2) Page 19